Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Primary Postmortem

Just a few observations.

Nerd Alert
Ted Cruz describing "that basketball ring" is just the sort of thing any dweeb that had never set foot on a basketball field or football court would say. I wonder how many votes he lost in Indiana were basketball is a holy sacrament.

#NeverTrump, Do They Mean It?
The phrase "conservative in the primary republican in the general" is a mantra of movement conservatives. They fight for the best they can get in the primaries but loyally toe the party line in the general election. Four years ago they hated Mitt Romney right up to when he won the nomination after which they forgot their rabid opposition to Mitt and became dutiful if not enthusiastic supporters.

This time around, most movement conservatives have loudly proclaimed for months that they will never ever vote for Donald Trump in November come Hillary or high water. The time when this principled stance ceases to be theoretical is rapidly approaching and I suspect most of them will pretend #NeverTrump never existed. Movement conservatives will eat their shit sandwich, kiss his ring, and pledge everlasting fealty to The Donald.

Profiles In Courage
I am reminded of this JFK book when thinking of the unbound Republican delegates. I imagine one remaining undecided, unbound delegate from Pennsylvania. Trump's count is 1236 his last vote would put Trump over the top. This lone delegate is besieged by cajoling, bribes, and death threats. He knows he can never return home if he does what is right for the nation and votes against Trump. Will he? Will he have the courage or will he take the coward's way and follow the herd?